Dear Mom - Are you a diet dropout?

Dear Mom,

Are you a diet drop-out?  Stop kidding yourself and simply try the "truly all-natural" route!  In order for a diet to truly work, you must want to make a complete transformation, not just a short-term one until you lose the weight because you will end up on the same path you were on before you started the diet (read my previous blog post "Are You Truly Healthy?").  In order to have that hunger for true, lasting results, you must have that hunger for true nutrition and wellness.  You cannot be afraid of eating truly all-natural foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, lean proteins, whole grains, etc.), tasting vegetables in your smoothies and drinking water without added flavoring. I am not saying that you have to go cold turkey here and can never eat another slice of pizza or a piece of cake ever again.  I am simply saying to choose an everyday lifestyle, where you make the full-fledged effort of consuming truly natural, nutritious foods and engaging in some form of exercise.  

I hear and read excuse after excuse that eating well and choosing a truly nutritious lifestyle is difficult and processed foods is easy.  Well, let me put it this way:

• Is it easy to carry excess weight around?
• Do you feel great eating processed foods?
• Are you scared of being diagnosed with prehypertension, high-blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes, etc? 
• Which is easier on the wallet - a medicinal regimen (taking various medications daily because of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diet-induced Type 2 Diabetes, etc.) or simply eating truly nutritious foods? 

Here are my answers to the questions above:

• I feel terrible when I carry excess weight
• I feel like I am more susceptible to illness when I consume mostly processed foods for a long period of time.
• I am terrified if I even see my blood pressure get anywhere close to prehypertension and if cholesterol numbers even got close to being on the high side. 
• I would rather eat nutritious foods that my body truly craves over taking medication everyday - that can get pricey! 

I am not a certified dietician or nutritionist, but honestly I do not need to be in order to know that the consumption of truly natural, nutrition-packed foods and regular exercise is one of the best remedies out there to achieve ultimate wellness (read my previous blog post "Quest to Ultimate Wellness".  If you do not believe me, I challenge you to try it for yourself, for a week and you will find out...you will start to feel better overall.


Processed foods is not part of my daily nutrition plan; however do not get me wrong, if I go to a party/get-together and I want to try some of the foods served that are not on my daily nutrition plan, I will not hold myself back from trying.  One of the major reasons I eat the way I do is because my food choices are truly nutrition-packed (earth-grown foods).  Why does our body crave nutrition-packed foods?  We are living organisms and we also crave foods that come from the earth and natural sources, just like plants crave water & sunlight and animals feed from grass, etc.
 
This is what I would normally eat throughout the course of the day. 


BREAKFAST (choose no more than 2)
1/2 cup - 1 cup: cooked steel cut oats or regular oatmeal

1 egg white + 1 whole egg

1-cup Greek yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit

Large green smoothie with tofu

coffee okay (moderation - no more than 1-2 cups/day)

MORNING SUPPLEMENT - high fiber

Psyllium husk (pure fiber) - mix with drink, mix with yogurt/fruit, smoothie

SNACKS (these are some I typically choose from)

fresh fruits

pistachio nuts, almonds or dry roasted peanuts
peanut butter

fresh salsa with pure corn chips
frozen fruits

salmon packs
homemade fruit, nut & grain bars

LUNCH (eat as much greens you can , 1 heavy grain, 1 protein)

beans (red, black or Edamame)

vegetables (dark green vegetables)

salad (natural dressing balsamic vinegar & olive oil)

salmon or chicken (choose 1)

DINNER (high protein, high greens/low-carb veggies, low grains; similar to lunch)

tacos with ground turkey (extra lean)

fresh chicken salad (homemade dressing)

bean salad

Couscous or quinoa salad

Large green smoothie with tofu

Sweets can be had in moderation, but try to keep it all-natural (low amount of ingredients) - I usually have fruit and a bit of dark chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth.

#earthgrownfoods
#cravenutrition
#truenutrition
#trulynatural 
#nutritionandwellness 

Now if you are a diet dropout, get back in, but try the all-natural, truly nutritious way!

Tired of expensive nutrition-packed foods?  Get more at discounted prices





Thanks for reading,

Are you truly healthy?

More so now than ever, there is that craze of getting "healthy".  Now, how about staying healthy?

Are you a Weight Watchers, high protein diet, low calorie diet, low-fat diet or any diet drop-out?  No worries, so was I; however, read on...there is is still hope!

Dictionary.com definition of HEALTHY: possessing or enjoying good health or a sound and vigorous mentality

Now, many of us may possess these intentions of desiring good health, but are we really doing what we can to achieve it?  To a certain extent, we are all healthy because we are still living - we are doing something right to keep us alive.  The definition of healthy does not mention a "quick-fix" or a "short-term" solution.  The definition specifically uses the word "possessing", so in order to be truly healthy we must truly possess that desire to have good health.  The desire to have good health should not be a roller coaster - for a short time we are on a high doing great, then for a short time time we are on a low, doing not so great!  This roller coaster does not exemplify a desire to be healthy.  Truthfully, this roller coaster could be more detrimental to our health because we are altering our body chemistry so often and our body experiences NO CONSISTENCY.  

NEWS-FLASH:  There is nowhere in the definition of "healthy" does it say - must be super skinny, super toned or look like a skeleton.  On the flip side, there is nowhere in the definition either that states obesity or over-indulging is okay.    

If one desires good health so much, why is it that there are many in society that are always dieting or are on a "get healthy quick"/short-term weight-loss plan (ie: 30, 60 or 90 day)?  Here is a personal example - for my wedding 9 years ago, I stopped eating sweets for 1-month straight, exercised 2x/day and ate nothing but an apple for breakfast and split a bowl pasta for lunch and dinner.  Did I lose weight?  Of course, I did...in fact about 10lbs in 2-months (and I was already pretty small...dropped down to about 88lbs).  Now, here is what happened after the wedding...I was burnt out from that diet plan I put my body through, so I reverted back to my old self and have not been 88lbs since then.  I deprived my body of the proper nutrition it needed.  Through the years, I have gotten wiser and started to realize what truly works.  Yes, moderation, watching calories, low fat, low sugar, etc. still matters; however, what matters most is TRUE nutrition and being honest with yourself.  Ask yourself this - am I truly providing my body with "true nutrition in order to get those natural results"?

If one truly wants to get "healthy", it should be a long-term plan.  Why put our body through a roller-coaster?  How about a long-term maintenance plan instead?  Stop spending massive amounts of money on products and plans to lose weight, just concentrate on "TRUE NUTRITION", "GOD'S FOOD", "TRULY NATURAL".  There are no shortcuts!  You have to be willing to consume truly nutritious in order to get the truly natural results - rid of the unnatural.  Also, educating yourself on what is truly nutritious is very important.  Do not always rely on what you read on food boxes, since there is a lot out there at that says "all-natural, "healthy", "good for you", etc.  It is a marketing trap!  Do your research!  This is when being honest with yourself comes into play - read ingredients and ask yourself if something is truly nutritious/natural, if it was grown in a garden or engineered in a chemical lab. 

If you concentrate on long-term maintenance focusing on the aforementioned, you will see "natural results" that will truly stick and you will actually start to feel great.  Forget the short-term results...change for the long-run.  My journey has become "My Quest to Ultimate Wellness" - I invite you to read this blog post, too.

Thanks for reading!!  Good luck on your journey!!

Faithfully Yours,

Kids and Nutrition

Time and time again, I remind people that it is never too early to start a child (once they are able to start eating the foods we eat) on nutritious foods.  Unfortunately, I did not grow up learning about proper nutrition and it was not highly emphasized in my household either, just like I emphasize it in my household now, as a parent.  As soon as my daughter (who is now almost 4-years-old) was able to eat many of the foods my husband and I eat, we started her on vegetables, fruits, all-natural smoothies, grains, Greek yogurt, lean poultry and meats.  As I have said in one of my previous posts that we are our child's first teacher and showing them proper nutrition based on what we consume is what they will pick-up first.  I thought about it after giving birth how I can properly emphasize nutrition with my daughter knowing that I still want her to have fun at birthday parties, camps and friends' houses, etc, where she might not be given the same foods I give her at home.  I began to realize how important it was for me to keep the most nutritious foods at home because of the fact that it is where she will be spending a majority of her time.  Now that she is almost 4-years old and can open cupboards and the refrigerator by herself to pick out something to eat, I have to truly make the best decisions of what I stock it all with. 

I understand it now why many (including their children) have an aversion to vegetables, fruits, plant-based foods and truly-natural foods...it is because it was not something they grew up eating or at least was not emphasized in their household!  It is sad to see these days what households fill their cupboards and refrigerators with.  I understand how harsh this can seem, but it is really what we are used to and what our society is used to.  There are many documentaries out there that talk about the dangers of processed foods and the positive effects of plant foods and all-natural foods!  I am not saying that we have to completely give up having a good burger, pizza or delectable desserts...I am merely saying "make nutrition consistent"; therefore, it will remain consistent in our child's life, too and they will learn the difference and will make better choices with what they eat.  It is so wonderful to see my daughter open up the fridge and opt to eat vegetables, fruit, grains, nuts, etc. because it is all I stock it with!  Of course, if I stocked it with foods with little or no nutritional value and still had the nutritious foods, she will choose the junk...hands down!!  I post this to help spread awareness that it is never too early to educate our children on proper nutrition.

As parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. we always make a conscious effort of keeping potentially harmful substances and poisonous items out of reach from children.  The sad part is there are poisonous ingredients in processed foods that many consume, but do not cause harm until so much of it has been consumed...slow, silent killers is what they are called.  They are just disguised with attractive packaging, amazing aromas and a presented so beautifully on a plate.  Who wants to eat fresh plant-based foods that does not have any added salt or sugar?  We do all we can to take care of and protect our children, so why is it we cannot make a conscious effort to lead them to be more nutrition-conscious?  Of course there is that falsehood that children are young and they should be able to eat junk food and why should we deprive them.  Not all humans are designed equally, some who eat junk food all their lives will not ever show up in their appearance because of how they are built genetically, but there are some that are not so lucky and it starts to alter their appearance at a young age.  As many of us know appearance means a lot to young ones (even though it should not), but given how cruel many of them can be nowadays, having an appearance issue can be detrimental to their social status...sad, but true!

Please educate yourself,

Quest To Ultimate Wellness...

Here is mine...what is yours?

Many of us have been or are always on the quest to lose weight, but here is the number one question?  Are we truly taking the proper steps to losing weight?  My quest to ultimate wellness has been a 
work-in-progress for as long as I can remember.  It has not been until recently that I finally realized what I need to do to achieve my ultimate wellness goals the pure and natural way!  It is not the low-carb diet/high protein diet, the starving yourself diet, the 30-day stay away from junk diet, Weight Watchers, the skipping meals diet nor is it the low calorie diet...in fact, it is none of these!  I will touch on these diets throughout my blog because I have tried them all, so stay tuned! The truth of the matter is that, it is a lifestyle change and keeping that change in tact. 

About me - I have never been super slim.  I do not have that body type, where I can pig out all the time and still not gain weight.  In fact, I am short (4'11 in height and slightly under a 100lbs), so I really have to watch it because the weight can creep back quickly!  There was a time in my life when I was about 90lbs and was still not happy with that weight.  We are our own worst critics, so even though we may have achieved our fitness goals, some of us still want to lose more weight.  Ultimate wellness is not based on how skinny one can get, how physically fit one can get nor how much stress one can eliminate, but merely how great one feels once proper nutrition, exercise and stress management become contributing factors to that.

How can one achieve ultimate wellness with proper nutrition?

Of course, sacrifice, consistency and dedication play a part in achieving ultimate wellness.  The quest to ultimate wellness is a dedicated lifestyle change...not a short-term change!  I have tried many of the crazy diets out there and yes, they work, but for the short-term, after I was happy with the change, I went back to my bad habits again!  Just recently, I went through an intervention with my "unwell self".  This is what I did: I threw out all heavily processed foods from my refrigerator and cupboards...replaced with truly all-natural, truly nutritious, truly high-fiber foods: fruits (frozen & fresh), dark green leafy vegetables, nutrition-packed vegetables (fresh & frozen), gluten-free grains, nuts, spring water, seeds (flax seed, psyllium husk, chia seeds, etc), algae powders, chicken breast, lean meat, salmon, steel cut oats, low-sodium or salt-free seasoning packs & marinades (with all-natural ingredients), green tea, black coffee (in moderation), etc. These are power-packed foods high in nutrition that will send all those wonderful messages to your brain that it is truly satisfied.  For more nutrition and wellness help and advice, visit livestrong.com.

Obesity and dieting are huge epidemics in the United States.  With the continuous modernization of technology, many things have become easier for us, so we are able to pack our schedules even more, but the sad thing is that we do not pack our lives with nutrition to achieve wellness.  Instead, we pack it with garbage...yes, you are reading that right...garbage!!  The more time we commit to having a busy schedule the less we have to commit to true nutrition and wellness!  I do not remember the last time I had a conversation with someone that said they do not lead a busy lifestyle.  There is nothing wrong with keeping busy, but this is how I see it...the human body is like a well-oiled machine...without the proper amount of "oil" our body can break down!  Our "oil" is proper nutrition, exercise, good night's sleep, avoiding drugs & alcohol, etc.  Once attention is given to these factors, weight will naturally shed and more positive changes will occur. 

Do yourself a favor, do not wait until it is too late to go on your quest to ultimate wellness. 

Looking for brands 40-60% less than health food stores + tax included + free shipping?  Go to Vitacost:




   




Have a blessed day,

 

How to get huge discounts with Vitacost.com

Do you purchase through Vitacost.com?  Do you want to try out Vitacost.com?  If you are anything like me, you completely depend on them for your nutrition and beauty needs!  My family used to spend loads of money on the list of products from Whole Foods Market:

• face wash
• body wash
• shave gel
• toothpaste
• baby products
• shampoo/conditioner
• make-up
• flax seed
• chia seeds
• wheat grass powder
• nuts
• oils
• vinegar
• Spirulina
• Chlorella
• probiotics
• whole grain products
• and much more

A couple years ago, I discovered Vitacost.com!  It has been a tremendous benefit for my family.  Not only are their products 40-60% less than Whole Foods Market, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, etc. (and sometimes 80%, when clearance items come up), but tax is also included and free shipping for orders $49+. Vitacost.com carries almost every brand-name health food on the market, so check it out!!

Now, you and the people you refer can reap in the benefits of ordering products from this amazing Internet retailer!    Here is how it works:

1. Sign up with Vitacost.com and click on their "Refer a Friend" program.
2. Communicate your referral link to others (by e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) 
3. Ones you refer will receive $10 off their order of $30+
4. Once their order ships, you will in turn receive $10 towards your next order (rewards are endless on what you can earn, so keep on referring!!)

My family and I love Vitacost.com so much and find the true value of their service that we have purchased their stock!!

Thanks for Reading,

CELEBRATE DAD: Make it a Nutritous Father's Day!

Celebrate Dad!!  FATHER'S DAY: Sunday, June 16th!  What is a greater gift than something that promotes a nutritious lifestyle?  Check out what Vitasprings has to offer - many health and wellness needs for Dad!!  Gift Certificates available in the following amounts: $10, $30, $50 & $100

Here are some coupon codes below, too!!



Coupon VITASPRINGS15OFF for $15 OFF on Any Order over $140

Coupon VITASPRINGS10OFF for $10 OFF on Any Order over $108

Coupon VITASPRINGS6OFF for $6 OFF on Any Order over $70

Coupon VITASPRINGS2OFF for $2 OFF on Any Order over $30

Coupon vitasprings1off for $1 off on any orders over $20


Happy Father's to all the Dads out there!!  
 

SUPPORT BOSTON: Boston Running Strong Tees

SUPPORT BOSTON!
100% of proceeds will be donated to One Fund Boston, Inc.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino have announced the formation of The One Fund Boston, Inc. to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, 2013.

CLICK ON A SHIRT TO PURCHASE! $25.00.

WOMEN'S TEE


 MEN'S TEE



Give Lovingly!!